Week 1 Social Studies: Age of Exploration

Open Ended

Why do people explore?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the main goal of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca's first voyage from Spain in 1527?

• To find new trade routes to Asia

• To take control of land in North America

• To escape hardship in Spain

• To spread Christianity among Native Americans

Multiple Choice

What was one of the main reasons Cabeza de Vaca and his crew faced so many dangers during their exploration?

• They were searching for gold and silver in unfamiliar lands.

• They wanted to become friends with the native peoples.

• They were trying to escape from Spain.

• They were looking for new types of ships.

Multiple Select

Which of the following were challenges faced by Cabeza de Vaca and his crew?

• Hurricanes

• Attacks by American Indians

• Lack of food and shelter

• Easy navigation with advanced maps

Open Ended

Describe how Cabeza de Vaca's experiences with the native peoples influenced his journey and survival.

Multiple Choice

Why did European nations want to find a sea route to Asia in the 1400s?

• To obtain riches from Asia more easily

• To escape from Europe

• To find new types of ships

• To avoid meeting native peoples

Open Ended

Explain how advances in shipbuilding technology, such as the invention of the caravel, changed ocean exploration in the 1400s.

Open Ended

Explain how the Portuguese involvement in the African slave trade impacted both Africa and Europe.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was NOT a reason Prince Henry the Navigator started his school of navigation?

• To learn about the world

• To gain wealth through trade

• To spread his religion

• To conquer new lands

Multiple Select

Which of the following were accomplishments of Portuguese explorers Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama?

• Sailing around the tip of Africa

• Reaching India by sea

• Discovering the Americas

• Establishing trade with Asia

Multiple Choice

How many years passed between Bartolomeu Dias rounding the Cape of Good Hope and Vasco da Gama sailing to India?

• 5 years

• 10 years

• 15 years

• 20 years

Open Ended

Describe the steps you would take to create a timeline of Christopher Columbus’s first three voyages using the information provided.

Multiple Choice

Which Spanish rulers agreed to become Columbus's patrons and help fund his voyage to find a new route to Asia?

• King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella

• King Henry and Queen Elizabeth

• King Philip and Queen Maria

• King Charles and Queen Catherine

Multiple Select

Which of the following were reasons for Columbus's voyages?

• To find a route to Asia by sailing west

• To spread Christianity

• To start new Spanish settlements

• To conquer the Aztec empire

Open Ended

Explain why Columbus mistakenly called the people he met in the Caribbean 'Indians.'

Open Ended

How did the goals and outcomes of Cortés's and Magellan's voyages differ?

Multiple Choice

Which explorer is correctly matched with his accomplishment?

• Ponce de León - Explored Florida

• De Soto - Discovered great riches in the Southeast

• Coronado - Found the fountain of youth

• Magellan - Conquered the Aztecs

Multiple Choice

What was one major effect of Spanish colonization on American Indians in New Spain?

• They gained new lands and power.

• They were forced to work in mines and on farms.

• They became rulers of New Spain.

• They traveled to Europe for education.

Multiple Choice

What conclusion can you draw about the significance of Columbus's journey to the Americas in 1492?

• It led to the spread of European diseases only.

• It had little impact on world history.

• It paved the way for European exploration and settlement of the Americas.

• It resulted in immediate peace between Europeans and American Indians.

Multiple Select

Which of the following were exchanged between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres during the Columbian Exchange?

• Plants

• Animals

• Diseases

• All of the above

Open Ended

Explain how the arrival of Europeans in the Americas changed the lives of American Indians.

Open Ended

What harmful effects did the Columbian Exchange have on native peoples in the Americas?

Open Ended

How did learning about Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca's journey help you understand the challenges and motivations of explorers during the Age of Exploration?

Multiple Choice

What were some of the main reasons European explorers, like Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, set out on voyages to the Americas?

• To expand their country's power and claim new land

• To escape from their home countries

• To find new friends and socialize

• To avoid military service